The National Insurance Building in Athens was designed by one of the world’s most recognised architects Mario Botta in association with Irena Sakellaridou, Athens. dpa lighting consultants in collaboration with L+DG Lighting Consultants, Athens, produced an architectural lighting scheme that served to compliment the strong geometric lines of the development whilst creating an interesting and visually stimulating lighting response to the piazza that separates the two buildings. It was important from the outset to carefully consider the architectural features that characterised both the larger curving facade and the smaller rectangular building. The sinuous nature of the right hand building was reinforced with concealed light at the glazed perimeter and the vertical slots on the left hand building expressed the strong opposing form.

The main feature of the piazza floor was the illumination of the skylights which was achieved by way of concealed blue linear lighting. Other techniques employed were recessed, linear, glazed floor slots and vertical light stacks, which acted as visual way-finding points and helped to reinforce a sense of perspective at a human scale.

Photography: Thomas Gravanis, L+DG Lighting Consultants.